the cruise of the jasper b.-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



hole！〃　　His　chagrin　was　touching　to　behold。



〃There；　there；　Cleggett；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable　kindly；　〃do　not

reproach　yourself　too　bitterly。〃



〃But　to　let　him　escape　when　I　had　him〃　Cleggett　finished　the

sentence　with　a　groan。



But　Wilton　Barnstable　was　thinking。



〃Please　have　some　lights　brought　down　here　if　you　will；　Captain；〃

he　said　to　Abernethy；　〃and　ask　Mr。　Bard　and　Mr。　Ward　to　come。〃



In　a　few　minutes　the　interior　of　the　hold　was　illuminated　with

lanterns；　it　was　as　bright　as　day。　But　the　detectives　did　not

proceed　at　once　to　a　minute　examination　of　the　hold　as　Cleggett

had　supposed　they　would。



Instead；　they　stood　in　the　waist　of　the　vessel　and　thought。



Visibly　they　thought。　　Wilton　Barnstable　thought。



Barton　Ward　thought。　　Watson　Bard　thought。　　　They　thought　in

silence。　　Cleggett　could　almost　feel　these　three　master　brains

pulsating　in　unison；　working　in　rhythmic　accord；　there　in　the

silence；　the　sense　of　this　intense　cerebral　effort　became　almost

oppressive。　。　。　。



Finally　Wilton　Barnstable　began　to　stroke　his　mustache；　and　a

pleased　smile　stole　over　his　plump　and　benign　visage。　　Barton

Ward　also　began　to　stroke　his　mustache　and　smile。　　But　it　was

twenty　seconds　more　before　Watson　Bard's　corrugated　brow　relaxed

and　his　eyes　twinkled　with　the　idea　that　had　come　so　much　more

readily　to　the　other　two。



〃Cleggett；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　〃you　have　heard　of　the

deductive　method　as　applied　to　the　work　of　the　detective？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃I　have　read　Poe's　detective　tales　and

Doyle's　Sherlock　Holmes　stories。〃



〃Ah！　　Sherlock　Holmes！〃　　The　three　detectives　looked　at　each

other　with　glances　in　which　were　mingled　both　bitterness　and

amusement；　the　look　seemed　to　dispose　of　Sherlock　Holmes。　　Once

again　Cleggett　had　a　fleeting　thought　that　Wilton　Barnstable

might　possibly　be　a　vain　man。



〃Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃never　existed。　　His

marvelous　feats　are　not　possible　in　real　life；　Cleggett。　　But　the

deductive　method　which　he　pretended　to　usemind　you；　I　say

PRETENDED；　Cleggett！is；　nevertheless；　sound。〃



And　then　the　three　detectives　gave　Cleggett　an　example　of　the

phenomenal　cleverness。



〃Mr。　Ward；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　〃Logan　Black　entered　this

hold。〃



〃He　did；〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃He　is　not　here　now；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃He　is　not；〃　said　Watson　Bard。



〃Therefore　he　has　escaped；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃But　how？〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃Only　a　ghost　or　an　insect　could　leave　this　hold　otherwise　than

by　the　hatchway；　to　all　appearances；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃Logan　Black　is　not　a　ghost；〃　said　Barton　Ward　firmly。



〃Logan　Black　is　not　an　insect；〃　said　Watson　Bard　with　conviction。



〃Then；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃that　eliminates　the　supernatural　and

thethe〃



〃The　entomological？〃　suggested　Cleggett。



The　three　detectives　stared　at　him　fixedly　for　a　moment；　as　if

surprised　at　the　interruption。　　But　if　they　were　miffed　they　were

too　dignified　to　do　more　than　hint　it。　　Barnstable　continued：



〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　magic。〃



〃There　is　not；〃　said　Ward。



〃The　fourth　dimension　does　not　exist；〃　said　Bard。



〃Therefore　Logan　Black's　exit；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃was　in

accordance　with　well…known　physical　laws。　We　are　forced　to　the

conclusion　that　he　made　his　escape　through　a　secret　passageway。〃



〃A　tunnel；〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃With　a　concealed　door　opening　into　the　hold；〃　said　Watson　Bard。



〃A　ship　with　a　secret　tunnel！〃　cried　Cleggett。　〃Who　ever　heard　of

the　like？　　Why；　the　thing　is〃



But　he　broke　off。　　He　had　been　leaning　against　the　starboard　side

of　the　hold。　　Even　as　he　spoke　he　felt　the　wall　behind　him

moving。　　He　turned。　A　door　was　opening。　　It　was　built　into　the

side　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　the　joints　were　cleverly　concealed。　　He

had　inadvertently　found；　with　his　elbow；　the　nailhead　which　was

in　reality　the　push　button　that　released　the　spring。　　The　black

entrance　of　a　subterranean　passage　yawned　before　him。



He　stared　in　astonishment。　　The　three　detectives　were　pointing　at

the　tunnel　with　plump　forefingers　and　bland；　triumphant　smiles。



〃Nothing　is　impossible；　my　dear　Cleggett；〃　said　Barnstable。　　〃The

tunnel　HAD　to　be　there！〃



〃It　explains　everything；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃But　a　tunnel　into　MY

ship！〃



And；　in　truth；　for　a　moment　he　felt　disappointed　in　the　Jasper　B。



A　tunnel　is　all　very　well　leading　from　the　basement　of　a　house；

or　extending　backward　from　a　cave；　but　Cleggett　felt　that　it　was

scarcely　a　dignified　sort　of　arrangement；　nautically　speaking；

for　a　ship　to　have　leading　from　its　hold。



It　seemed；　somehow；　to　stamp　the　Jasper　B。　indelibly　as　a　thing

of　the　land　rather　than　as　the　gallant　creature　of　piping　winds

and　following　seas。　　Could　the　Jasper　B。；　a　bone　in　her　teeth　and

her　tackle　humming；　ever　again　sail　through　Cleggett's　dreams？　

For　a　moment；　if　the　worst　must　be　known；　he　was　almost　disgusted

with　the　Jasper　B。；　considered　as　a　ship。　　For　a　moment　he　was

willing　to　believe　that　Cap'n　Abernethy　was　nothing　but　a　Long

Island　truck　farmer；　and　NOT　of　a　seafaring　family　at　all。　　For　a

moment　he　felt　himself　to　be　a　copyreader　again　on　the　New　York

Enterprise。



But　only　for　a　moment！　　The　star　of　romance；　clouded　temporarily

by　fact；　rose　serene　and　bright　again　in　the　wide　heaven　of　the

unusual　spirit；　the　barber's　basin　gleamed　once　more　the　helmet

of　Mambrino。　　Cleggett　began　to　see　the　matter　in　its　proper

light。



〃A　tunnel！〃　he　cried；　brightening；　and　looking　at　it　with　his

legs　spread　a　little　wide　and　his　hands　on　his　hips。　　〃A　tunnel！　

Eh；　by　gad！　　Who　could　have　prophesied　a　tunnel？　　Barnstable；

never　tell　me　again　there　is　no　romance　in　real　life！　　I　tell

you；　Barnstable；　she's　a　good　old　ship；　the　Jasper　B。！　　I　don't

suppose　there　was　ever　another　schooner　in　the　world　with　a

secret　passageway　leading　out　of　her　hold！〃



〃She　IS　a　remarkable　vessel；〃　agreed　Wilton　Barnstable　gravely。　

〃But；　come；　we　are　wasting　time！　　The　other　end　of　this　passage

is　at　Morris's；　that　is　plain。　　Loge　Black　has　only　a　few

minutes'　start　of　us。　　Therefore；　to　Morris's！〃





CHAPTER　XXVI



A　DOG　DIES　GAME



Clambering　out　of　the　hold；　the　three　detectives　and　Cleggett

briefly　made　their　followers　acquainted　with　the　extraordinary

turn　of　events。　　The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop；　Miss　Pringle's　Jefferson；

and　Washington　Artillery　Lamb　were　detailed　to　guard　the　Jasper

B。　end　of　the　tunnel。　　The　others；　seizing　their　rifles；　raced

across　the　sands　towards　Morris's。



In　a　few　moments　the　place　was　invested；　with　riflemen　on　every

side　except　the　south；　which　fronted　on　the　bay。　　The

steel…jacketed　bullets　from　the　high…power　guns　tore　through　and

through　the　flimsy　walls。　　Nevertheless　the　defenders　replied

pluckily；　and　the　siege　might　have　dragged　on　for　hours　had　it

not　been　for　the　courage　and　resource　of　Kuroki。　　Gaining　the

stable；　Kuroki　found　an　old　pushcart　there。　　He　piled　three　bales

of　hay　upon　it；　and　then　set　fire　to　the　hay。　　Pushing　the　cart

before　him；　and　crouching　behind　the　bales　to　protect　himself

from　revolver　shots；　he　worked　his　way　to　the　east　verandah　of

the　building　and　left　the　hay　blazing　against　the　planks。　　Then

he　ran　as　if　the　devil　were　after　him；　and　was　almost　out　of

pistol　shot　before　he　got　a　bullet　in　the　calf　of　his　leg。



The　blaze　caught　the　wood　and　spread。　　In　two　minutes　the　east

verandah　was　in　flames。　　Loge　and　his　men　attempted　to　pour　water

on　the　blaze　from　above。　　But　Cleggett's　party　directed　so　hot　a

fire　upon　the　windows　that　the　defenders　were　forced　to　retire。



The　main　building　caught。　　The　road　house　was　old；　and　was　of

very　light　construction；　the　fire　spread　with　rapidity。　　Loge　was

in　a　trap。



But　that　evil　and　indomitable　spirit　refused　to　yield。　　Even　when

his　remaining　ruffians　came　out　and　gave　themselves　up　Loge　still

fought　on　alone　in　a　sullen　fury　of　despair。



Reckless　of　bullets；　he　leaned　from　an　open　window；　a　figure　not

without　its　grandeur　against　the　background　of　smoke　and　flame；

and　shouted　a　savage　and　obscene　insult　at　Cleggett。



〃Give　yourself　up；〃　cried　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃Damn　it；　man；　anything's　better　than　roasting　to　death！〃



Loge　raised　his　hand　and　sped　a　last　bullet　at　the　detective；

grazing　Barnstable's　temple。



〃Come　in　and　get　me！〃　he　shouted。



Barnstable　fired；　just　as　a　whirl　of　smoke　blew　in　front　of　Loge。



Cleggett　thought　the　outlaw　staggered；　but　he　was　not　certain。



A　moment　later　a　portion　of　the　roof　fell；　then　the　east　wall

crashed　in。　　Morris's　was　a　blazing　ruin。



〃He　has　perished　in　the　flames；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。　　〃So

ends　Logan　Black！〃



〃More　like　he's　blowed　his　head　off；〃　said　Cap'n　Abernethy。　　〃If

you　was　to　ask　me；　that's　what　I'd　do。〃



〃He　has　done　neither！〃　cried　Cleggett。